It is only 18 years of hurt really

At stake in Moscow last night was more than a World Cup final – it was about being crowned Unofficial World Champions. The system is simple: a boxing-style lineage going back to the first international match in 1872 and whoever beats the holder gains the title. A mere 146 years later, the “belt” had worked its way to... Croatia. England had not held it since beating Germany back in 2000 – 18 years of hurt does not sound as bad, does it?